Paying for prison reform, consent decree hearing Thursday

The long battle over funding for the Orleans Parish Prison is heading back to federal court Thursday morning. A two-day hearing is set to determine who will pay for the sweeping changes and reforms at the prison.

The federal government placed mandates on OPP and the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office to bring reform to the jail after prison experts called the jail one of the worst in the country.

The city is on the hook to pay for the reforms, but questions some of the expenses and costs. The city says Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman can find funds within his existing budget to cover the proposed changes.

Back in July, Gusman took the stand and answered questions centered on how his department spends and manages its funds.

At that time, a settlement was reached for more than $1.8-million. It included $500,000 for additional medical staff, more than $425,000 for deputy raises, more than $370,000 overtime pay, and hundreds of thousands for 42 new guards, medical supplies, new software and to bring a jail administrator on board.

Lawyers hired by the city say the sheriff has overspent on items like cars and legal costs. However, Gusman says the department of justice and city need to step up if they want reforms.

Meanwhile, the city says if it's forced to pay for the reforms, layoffs and major cuts would have to be implemented. The consent decree with the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office could cost as much as $17-million annually.

The city of New Orleans will put up $1.88 million this year to pay for extra security and medical personnel and to raise base pay for staff at the city's jail under an agreement announced Monday during a brief hearing in U.S. District Court.

Months after inmate advocates complained that a $145 million jail under construction in New Orleans won't meet requirements of a court-approved reform plan, the city and Sheriff Marlin Gusman have agreed on construction of an additional facility.

OVER FUNDING FOR THE ORLEANS PARISH PRISON HEADS BACK TO FEDERAL COURT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLACED MANDATES ON O- P-P AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO BRING REFORM TO THE JAIL. PRISON EXPERTS HAVE DUBBED O- P-P ONE OF THE WORST PRISONS IN THE COUNTRY. THE CITY IS ON THE HOOK TO PAY FOR THE REFORMS -- BUT IS QUESTIONING SOME OF THE EXPENSES AND COSTS. THE HEARING IS EXPECTED TO LAST TWO DAYS. WDSU NEWS REPORTER CASEY FERRAND IS LIVE AT FEDERAL COURT WITH WHAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN. GOOD MORNING, RANDI AND SULA. YES, THAT'S RIGHT A TWO-DAY HEARING IS SET TO BEGIN TODAY CONTINUED TODAY AT FEDERAL COURT TO DETERMINE WHO PAYS FOR THE SWEEPING CHANGES AND REFORMS AT THE ORLEANS PARISH PRISON. THE CITY SAYS SHERIFF GUSMAN CAN FIND FUNDS WITHIN HIS EXISTING BUDGET TO COVER THE PROPOSED CHANGES. BACK IN JULY, ORLEANS PARISH SHERIFF MARLIN GUSMAN TOOK THE STAND AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS CENTERED ON HOW HIS DEPARTMENT SPENDS AND MANAGES IT'S FUNDS. AT THAT TIME, A SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED FOR MORE THAN 1- POINT-EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH INCLUDED $500-THOUSAND FOR ADDITIONAL MEDICAL STAFF, MORE THAN $425-THOUSAND FOR DEPUTY RAISES, MORE THAN $370- THOUSAND FOR OVERTIME PAY, AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FOR 42 NEW GUARDS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, NEW SOFTWARD AND TO BRING A JAIL ADMINISTRATOR ON BOARD. LAWYERS HIRED BY THE CITY SAY THE SHERIFF HAS OVER SPENT ON ITEMS LIKE CARS AND LEGAL COSTS. BUT, THE SHERIFF SAYS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CITY NEED TO STEP UP IF THEY WANT REFORMS. MEANWHILE, THE CITY SAYS IF IT'S FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REFORMS, LAYOFFS AND MAJOR CUTS WOULD HAVE TO BE IMPLEMENTED. THE CONSENT DECREE WITH THE ORLEANS PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE COULD COST AS MUCH AS 17- MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY. ON YOUR SIDE, CASEY FERRAND, WDSU NEWS. .